The force of the fire and the active risk for the neighbors do not allow us to think about the return
This Wednesday the residents of Alto Mijares evicted because of the voracious fire forester will spend seven nights away from their houses and, despite the time that has elapsed, they still fear that they will not be able to return to their homes “in four or five more days.” And it is that, between Segorbe, Navajas and Onda, there are distributed almost 200 displaced people of the 1,700 evicted -most of them decide to spend the night with relatives or in second homes–.
«The days go by and, although we try to be optimistic, we do not see anyone return to their town. Rather, we have seen the arrival of new victims, such as those of pavias, fig trees and Torralba”, say those affected from the Segorbe municipal pavilion, where the Red Cross attends daily to some 80 people who sleep in the town’s seminary.
And it is that the force of the fire and the active risk for the neighbors do not allow us to think, for the moment, of the return. The safety of people comes first and, for this reason, not even the authorities dare to give deadlines after the fire broke out completely on Monday afternoon on an unexpected flank, with the flames seriously threatening the urban area of Montan.
Therefore, there is no choice but to wait. As the Persian proverb says, patience is a tree with bitter roots but very sweet fruits and arming yourself with patience seems the only option.
“I came out with what I was wearing after more than 60 years in Higueras”
Jose Gomez, 81 years old, is one of the last residents evicted by the Alto Mijares fire. This Monday he left his home in Higueras after more than 60 years living in the town. «I came out with what I was wearing. I only had time to catch the car and I go with the same clothes that he was wearing”, this neighbor explains to this newspaper from the Segorbe multipurpose pavilion, where he was transferred. Although born in Barcelona, José is already more Castellón than Catalan. Widowed for a few years, he fears what might happen to his home. “I am beyond here”he admits excitedly, after a very complicated first night away from home. «At 4.30 in the morning I already got up because I couldn’t sleep. We have almost no information and it is hard »admits.
“The fire has stayed only three meters from my house”
Mari Montaraz, 61 years old, works at the bar in Puebla de Arenoso. When the Civil Guard told them that they had to leave the town, they left everything “bogged down”. After the evacuation, he has been one of the people who has been able to return momentarily to his home and, in his case, it was to feed his dog, who had stayed in the property after the eviction of all the neighbors. He found the animal “very happy” to see her again. “I was able to return accompanied by the Civil Guard and I saw that the fire had stayed just three meters from my house”she says, still shocked. In this way, his pet was able to verify that his owner had not, far from it, abandoned him of her own free will. On the contrary, it was due to force majeure.
“My two towns are threatened by fire”
With a broken heart. To Agustina Tamborero, 74 years old, this Alto Mijares forest fire touches him twice and it is that he was born in Villanueva de Viver, the town where the flames originated; and she lives in Puebla de Arenoso, the municipality where her husband is from. “We are not sure when we will be able to return. Perhaps we will be here two or three more days because the latest news and evictions – those of Pavías, Higueras and Torrabla – do not invite hope in the short term», comments this neighbor. «Those who have been able to enter the villages to care for animals have found it better than they thought. The environment is very damaged, but at least the fire has not reached the houses and that, as things are, is already lucky, “she says.
“I went to Madrid with some relatives the first days”
When they forced her to leave Montanejos, Roxana Vidaure, 48, decided to go to Madrid, where some relatives offered her to stay. There she has remained during the first three days of this natural emergency. However, due to a medical appointment for his daughter, yesterday he had to return to the province, where he now faces the reality of the Alto Mijares forest fire. This immigrant came from Bolivia in search of a new life and has lived in Castellón for eleven years. With a serious face, she acknowledges that the situation is “scary” and trusts that the extinction of the flames will come as soon as possible. Like the rest of the displaced, she appreciates the care and food offered to them in the Segorbe pavilion.